Most of the things that have needed to be said about this game have already been said ! However now is the time for Saints to step up to the plate and give us the chance of a trophy.

I have said on more than one occasion already this week that I do not want to see a side made up of fringe players and academy hopefuls, especially in key positions.

I have yet to meet a Saints supporter who does not want to see our strongest side out tonight to give us the best chance of a tilt at a trophy in nearly 14 years.

The fact is as a club we have spent 40 seasons out of the last 51 in the top flight of English Football since we were promoted to the old Division 1 in 1966, a phenomenal achievement that few clubs can match in that time period, even Leeds have managed only 30 years out of the last 50.

Chelsea are only just ahead of us with 43 seasons and outside of the big 6 I would say that only West Ham have played more top flight seasons than us in this time scale.

But this is not enough it is time for us to step up to the plate and challenge for a trophy.

We will not do that if we put out sub strength sides in key games and make no bones about it tonight's fixture at the Emirates is a key game.

If we win it we will be in our first major semi final for almost 14 years and only our second in since we lost to Liverpool in the League Cup of 1986/87 30 years ago.

We have had our oments since, but the quarter finals always seem to be our stumbling block and there always seems to be something that crops up that makes us stumble at a crucial moment, I can take injuries and sendings off, what I can't take is when the reason for our defeat is in our own hands at least partially.

So this is a key match for Claude Puel, he has to show that he wants success at Southampton Football Club as much as anyone, he has to show that he is not just here to develop youth players, he is here to take us to the next level and that means challenging for trophies.

The Frenchman has already said he want to do that, but now he needs to back up those actions with words and that means putting out a team to win games.

If we want to keep key players we have to give them success, the likes of Ryan Bertrand, Virgil Van Dijk and Fraser Forster to name but three can accept being rested in the early rounds of this competition, but at this stage they can see glory and they want some of it and they do not want to be sat watching as we throw away a great chance because we have played fringe members of the squad.

There will be plenty of opportunities for the youth to shine, but this is not one of them.

So no pussyfooting about from Claude Puel, we supporters need to be behind you, we want to be behind you, we have taken a lot over the last few seasons as players and managers have deserted us, we want to give the current squad a reason to want to stay, ie that they can see the chance of a medal or two and European campaigns.

You cannot ask VVW, Forster or Bertrand to stay if you have thrown away a good chance by playing inexperienced youngsters or to be blunt those who are not good enough when there are better options available.

We took Arsenal to the very brink when we played there earlier in the season, we proved that we can live with them when we put out our first team, lets prove that again.

End Of Sermon !!!!!!!

Photo: Action Images

SanMarco added 11:05 - Nov 30 Arsenal are there for the taking but their side will still be appreciably stronger than Sparta reserves were. Puel has a choice here - and I, for one, totally agree with the article, he needs to go for it. We will be favourites with our strongest side out and then a 1 in 3 chance of Hull in the semi....
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Sanguin added 11:23 - Nov 30 I’m the Saints supporter who doesn’t think we should play our first eleven. I think our first eleven is hard to define and you can’t expect players like Hojberg to play again. I would be happy with this line-up: Forster Martina – VVD – Yoshida – McQueen Romeu – Clasie Long – Davis – Boufal Rodriguez
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halftimeorange added 12:53 - Nov 30 Sorry, Sanguin, I thought your monicker was a synonym for optimistic but with that line-up it should be over-optimistic. The eleven should be:- Forster, Cedric, Fonte, Van Dijk, Hojdjerg, Davies, Romeu, McQueen, Austin, Long
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halftimeorange added 12:55 - Nov 30 And Bertrand!
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ItchenNorth added 13:18 - Nov 30 I wouldn't play our strongest eleven, we have enough to rest two or three.
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highfield49 added 17:11 - Nov 30 Interesting selection halftimeorange, McQueen was certainly a winger until Puel converted him to full back so playing him wide on the left makes some sense.
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